1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an increased efficiency, more durably performing pool leafing tool, and method, for gathering leaves and other pool debris from a pool bottom wall. More particularly, the invention relates to a pool leafing tool that stays open in the pool, and when emptying into a trash receptacle. The invention further relates to manufacturing and operating benefits afforded by the present leafing tool design, including easy assembly of components in manufacturing, repair and replacement, active protection of costly abradable components with low-cost sacrificial components, and integration of durability in design through use of such components with designed-in manufacturing ease in these components for an optimized pool leafing product in manufacture and use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pool leafing tools are commonly used to remove leaves and other debris that collect in recreational pools over time. Typically, a pool owner or service technician will remove large debris including leaves, flowers and twigs with the pool leafing tool. A problem with many pool leafing products is that the basket used to collect the debris is merely a bag or pocket supported by a frame at the mouth, and the bag collapses across the mouth when one seeks to empty it into a receptacle. In FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART) technician 7 holds tool 9 comprising a handle 11 attached to the bag 13a containing debris 13b over receptacle 15, but the bag, being loaded and unsupported except by itself, sags down past the bag mouth 17, effectively blocking expulsion of the accumulated debris; only a little debris 19 exits. The technician has to hold the bag closed end 23 up and shake the tool 9, necessarily up close to the bag 13a, losing the leverage otherwise provided by the handle 9. For a professional who does as many as 60 pools a day, this extra effort can be quite fatiguing, leading to spillage, errors and an unhappy customer.